LONDON (Reuters) - British tour operator Thomas Cook <TCG.L> said on Thursday it had entered into a strategic alliance with Expedia <EXPE.O> to make the online travel company its preferred provider of hotels for certain holiday sales.

Thomas Cook said that while it remained focused on its own-brand hotels, Expedia would be the preferred partner for its "complementary city and domestic holiday business", a wider range of hotels to give customers more choice.

Thomas Cook CEO Peter Fankhauser said the agreement would "transform Thomas Cook's city breaks and hotel-only offer for customers while helping the business take an important step forward in delivering our strategy for profitable growth."